Denzel Washington's 148-Minute Historical Epic Is Officially Netflix's Biggest Streaming Hit

Denzel Washington is one of the most bankable movie stars working today, and he's just as popular on streaming as he is at the multiplexes. Whenever a film featuring arguably our best living actor appears on one of the major streamers, it typically shoots straight into the service's top 10, if not the #1 spot. This is certainly the case with Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II," which knocked "Animals" out of first place the day it debuted this week.

"Gladiator II" seems destined to be a dad movie like the original, even though it only earned a Cinemascore of "B" from polled moviegoers (whereas the first film received an A). It's absolutely inferior to "Gladiator," which received better reviews and won the Oscar for Best Picture, but if you're looking to drift in and out of consciousness on the couch on a rainy Saturday, it's got enough brutal spectacle (and sharks!) to keep you entertained for 148 minutes. And while the performances are mostly terrific (Paul Mescal struggles to match Pedro Pascal's physical prowess), the only reason "Gladiator II" will have the longevity of its predecessor is Washington, who is having a ball as the devious Macrinus.

"Gladiator II" may fall well short of classic status, but it's still a joy to see octogenarian Ridley Scott pulling off a sword-and-sandal epic with brio to spare. There is some dodgy CG here and there, but the sheer physical scale of this undertaking frequently slams your jaw to the floor. It's a movie that was made for the theatrical experience, but you can still sink into Scott's meticulously built world if you've got a big enough screen.

Early in the 2024 Oscar season, Washington was considered a major contender for Best Supporting Actor, but the film never found its footing during awards season. Even though Christopher Nolan called it the best movie of that year, Academy voters viewed it as more of a technical triumph. Looking back at the nominees that year, I can easily make a case for Washington deserving a nod, but that would mean eliminating one of Edward Norton ("A Complete Unknown"), Yura Borisov ("Anora"), Guy Pearce ("The Brutalist"), Jeremy Strong ("The Apprentice") or the eventual winner Kieran Culkin ("A Real Pain"). And here's the thing: Washington will be back this way again.

Nevertheless, Macrinus gives Washington some of his juiciest scenery munching material since his Oscar-winning turn in "Training Day." He's a diabolical delight in a movie that might've been a total bore without him.